Akitos trademark

Risha and I went out together.

Left Rebec, didn’t take the train—walked through the wilds instead.

I spoke to Risha, walking just behind me.

“Anything happen while I was gone?”

“Everything was fine. Everyone followed the master’s plan. The population grew. The demon army attacked a few times, but the guard and the Kazan people repelled them.”

“Huh.”

I nodded.

I could picture the guard of Mya, who had the battleship Risha, and the warrior tribe of Kazan, whose children fought too.

Even while helping with Lira’s nest-building, the nation had kept running smoothly.

Good.

……

Meanwhile, Risha kept glancing at me sideways.

Like she wanted to say something. Restless.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

“Something on your mind?”

After hesitating a moment, Risha steeled herself and answered.

“I couldn’t settle down at all while my master was away. This is the first time we’ve been separated for so long.”

“Couldn’t settle down?”

Not… anxious? Not lonely?

“Yes. Um… without a new command from my master, I’d get restless the moment I woke up. Couldn’t calm down.”

“I see.”

That’s… very Risha-like, then.

Eternal slaves are like that. Sweet little creatures who adore their masters and crave orders.

I knew that already. But now I’m realizing just how strong that is.

I’d thought about doing something to make up for being gone so long—something like giving her a gift.

But I held back.

“Now that I’m back, you’ll be working even harder.”

“Yes!”

She smiled, and the gem on her collar sparkled faintly.

☆

We walked until we reached a spot where Akito’s city came into view.

“Akito’s city? My master?”

“Ah.”

"Why didn’t we take the train? Why walk?"

"I’ve got something important to do. The train… wouldn’t be proper."

"Important… I understand. I’ll contact Madway right away."

"Wait."

I stop Risha mid-step.

"What is it?"

She tilts her head, puzzled.

Ignoring her, I pull out the second card—the one that lets you use magic.

It’s evolved from common to rare. Now it grants new spells.

I spend two units of mana and cast one of its effects—on both me and Risha.

We transform.

Risha’s face stays the same, but her hair goes from gold to black.

Her pointed ears vanish. The collar disappears.

Her grass-green dress turns into a simple dress.

At a glance, she’s the picture of a proper young lady—full-on transformation. Pure magic.

"Master, your appearance has changed!"

"Risha too."

"Ah, really…?"

Risha stares at her hands, touches her face, stunned.

"Amazing… you can do something like this, Master?"

"A new spell—changes your look. To return, just say 'Bosvet'—ah!"

Oops.

I chanted the incantation by accident.

Back to my original form—Akito again.

I chuckle, then try the rare card magic once more.

Wasted a bit of magic, sure—but at least I demonstrated it, right?

"That's how it works. Got it?"

"Yes! …But why change your form?"

"Starting now, I'm becoming a resident of Akito's town. The backstory’s been reset—now we’re a young couple who just arrived, learned about the town."

"A young couple… me and you?"

"Yep."

"O-oh my—this is so overwhelming!"

Risha panicked hard.

As an Eternal Slave, being set up as a newlywed couple with her master apparently wasn’t supposed to cause this much distress.

I tried to calm her down.

“Just acting. Necessary for the town’s setup. Obey.”

Saying it like a command, Risha snapped back to calm in an instant.

“Understood.”

That’s the kind of thing an Eternal Slave does—calmed by her master’s order.

Still, she didn’t stop staring at me.

Eyes full of questions. Silent. Just staring, asking without words: *Why?*

I answered her.

“The kingdom’s developed enough. Population’s passed ten thousand. Most people know my face. If I go around pretending to be king, I might not see anything real. Only forced smiles. Fake politeness.”

“Then let me—”

"You're the same. The king's most loyal slaves. If I can't speak my true thoughts to myself, I certainly can't say them to you either."

"True enough."

Risha nods.

She and Yuria together—like some idol with a fanbase—makes it even harder to hear the real truth. But she doesn’t say that now.

"So I’m disguising myself, sneaking around like a commoner, just to see the town as it really is."

"Is that what this is about... ah!"

Risha suddenly stiffens.

"Six towns in total, so... all of them?"

I smile. Sharp observer, you are.

Akitto’s town.

Beesuk’s town.

Magatan’s town.

Kazan’s town.

Bragadaryu’s town.

Permi’s town.

These six are all the towns in the kingdom besides the capital, Rebeck.

First slave: Risha.

Second slave: Mira.

Third slave: Yuria.

Fourth slave: Rirya.

Fifth slave: Arisa.

Sixth slave: Svetlana.

The adult slaves are these six.

The number matches the number of towns.

Risha came to Akito's town with her.

Planned to sneak into other towns disguised as other slaves.

Alright, then let’s go.

Yes!

We set off, walking.

Risha walked just behind me, as subservient as ever.

The way she followed so respectfully—exactly like usual Risha—yet... this wasn’t right.

Honestly, someone might catch on from that gesture.

Risha

What is it, my lord?

"The setting is a young couple."

“Hah…”

That look—like, “What about it?”

"Risha's attitude is still that of a slave. That won't do. Act more like a proper wife."

"Like a proper couple... h-how am I supposed to do that?"

"Yeah, let's link arms then."

"U-uh, my arm!"

Ah.

I nodded. Risha flailed, her voice a high-pitched, panicked squeal—“Uwawawawawa!”

“S-So! To link arms with my master like this?”

“Risha.”

Dead serious.

“Command.”

“Y-Yes…”

Risha hesitated, then obeyed.

She edged closer, tentatively looping her arm through mine.

“C-Is this alright?”

“Yeah.”

We linked arms and stepped into Akito’s town.

Even though it was a command, Risha flustered and fumbling—kind of cute.

…And soft, too.

☆

Akito’s town, after all this time.

It had changed so much since the days when it was just a lone cottage of Madway in the wasteland—unimaginable now.

Brand-new buildings lined the streets. People bustled on paved roads. Trade buzzed with goods and wares.

Ten times the population. One of the most developed towns around.

A man in armor-like gear stood at the town’s gate.

I approached him and called out.

“Hey…”

“What?’

‘A monkey? I turned back into a human, they said I should come here.’

I played it up a little. Spouted the backstory I’d rehearsed.

‘Ah, yeah, yeah.’

The guard nodded repeatedly, like he’d heard it a hundred times.

He pulled a single sheet of paper from his pocket—familiar, like he’d done it a thousand times—and handed it to me.

It was a map. Looked like the map of Akito’s town.

‘Go to that office there. Repeat your story. Then you’ll get food, clothes, and a house for now.’

‘A real house?!’

I pretended to be shocked.

‘Yeah, thank your lucky stars. It’s the king’s mercy. There’s more to this place than just that—nice and easy to live in. But most of it’s thanks to the king. So once you settle in, don’t forget to thank him properly.’

‘Got it.’

“Also… yeah, they won’t explain this at the office, so I’ll tell you. These days, some weird religion’s been popping up. A bunch of folks unhappy with the king gathered together and started this nonsense. It’s a real pain in the nose around here—best not to get involved.”

“Got it, thanks.”

“See you. Welcome to Akito’s town.”

The man gave a farewell line like a character stepping into an RPG, then waved and walked off, tucking his map away as he headed toward the office.

“Already heard something useful.”

“Huh?”

Risha, who’d been quietly crossing her arms since earlier, tilted her head.

“About that weird religion people look down on. Did you know about it, Risha? Did Yuria say anything?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Hmm. Details like this? That’s exactly what we needed—real people’s voices. Keep an eye out from now on, Risha. Stuff like this, and little things about daily life.”

“Understood. Your Majesty—no, wait, I mean, uh…”

……

She stopped, looking at Risha.

Risha flustered.

“G-go on, sorry. That was rude…”

“No, not rude at all. In fact—”

a whisper at her ear: well done.

“We’re married, after all. So it’s fine. Hell, you can call me by name if you want.”

“Ah… you’re… fine…”

her voice barely a breath.

Risha blushing—endearing, adorable.

☆

Led by an official, they arrived at an empty house in the residential district.

A plain wooden house, with futons and cloth clothes already laid out inside.

“From today, this is your home. Um… what was your name again?”

“Sakimori.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Unusual name. Where are you from?”

“Can’t remember. Honestly, I don’t recall much about before I became a squire…”

"Yeah, you see 'em now and then. Must've had a real shocker of a death, huh. Don't get down, though. This country's a real breeze to live in thanks to the king—almost like a utopia. Just kick back here, start fresh."

"Thanks."

"Head to one of the supply stations scattered around if you get hungry. Grab some Pshini. Tastes awful, but you can have as much as you want. Ask around, they'll point you in the right direction."

The official went on like that.

Basic idea? Exactly what I laid out.

Food, shelter, clothing—guaranteed. Everything beyond that? Earn it with work.

The guard at the gate was rough around the edges, but this guy? Professional. Solid.

Now, time to blend in. Eavesdrop on real talk.

The official finished speaking, stood up, and left. The door clicked shut behind him.

Just me and Risha left in the wooden house.

Alright, time to finish the undercover setup. That thing... (,,)

"Oh, you. Aren’t you leaving today?"

Risha had asked.

The way you speak to me still feels clumsy.

She thought, yeah, that’s a fine way to call it, then paused a moment, and answered.

Ah, I’m not going out today.

"Just the two of us?"

"Ah."

Nodding, I do.

Risha’s “you” is actually kind of nice to listen to, honestly.

Freshness is one thing, but her current black-haired, long-haired look—she’s the picture of a modest wife.

Not bad, yeah, not bad. Feels pretty good.

And "just the two of us" — that kind of thing really gets the imagination running.

Like she’d actually become a wife, not just a slave—somehow, I ended up daydreaming about all sorts of things.

"‘Bosbett’—my lord."

While I stood there, Risha casually recited the incantation and returned to her original form.

"Master... Master!"

Muttering "Master... Master..." like she's crushing something under her breath.

What the hell is she doing— I thought—

—Magic power charged to 100,000.

"...pff."

I couldn’t help but snort-laugh.